Remote sensing of the Tay Estuary using visible and near-infrared data: mapping of the inter-tidal zone

Abstract

SynopsisThe coastal zone is being seen increasingly as a major resource requiring the planning of its use to accommodate the many and frequently conflicting demands placed upon it. In the U.K. this planning is complicated by the difficulties arising from the scale, map projection and quality of information provided by the different mapping agencies. These difficulties are compounded because the representation of information concerning the littoral is quickly outdated by the dynamic coastal processes operating in this zone. This paper presents the results of an investigation of the use of digital remote sensing and mapping techniques, using data from a set of LANDSAT MSS scenes corresponding to different tidal states, for mapping within the coastal zone where regular and possibly cyclic map revision is required.